Rhubarb. Those who like it love it. Many have never had it and that is a shame for sure. It’s such a wonderful tart addition to so many recipes and can be used in ways many never would have thought of. Everyone has heard of Rhubarb Pie. What about sauces for meats like pork? How about muffins, chutney, curd, or even pickled Rhubarb? And know what else? It’s healthy as well. Want to know more?
All About Rhubarb
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Rhubarb is an early sign of spring as it grows and ripens and is gone, very early on, often before we even get to summer. Considered a spring vegetable for obvious reasons, that looks slightly like red celery when cut. It really has nothing to do with celery at all though.
The edible part of the plant is the bright pink stalk with a sour flavor. You should take a bite of the raw stalk next time you use it if you haven’t before. It’s a bright flavor and while very sour, not completely unpleasing. It is often said to taste like strawberry but that is because it is frequently combined with strawberries when cooking. After all, they both ripen and are ready to harvest at the same time each spring. The flavor of Rhubarb has been described as very sour with a slight hint of green apple and a celery-like texture.
Healthy?
Yes! It is healthy, though the amount of sugar many add to it because of the sour flavor might outweigh it’s health benefits. The health benefits of Rhubarb include:
- Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants, including anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which could provide anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties. One study even notes that rhubarb may have more polyphenols than even kale.
- Rhubarb is also high in fiber, which helps with constipation.
- Cooked rhubarb also contains manganese, which could aid with activating the enzymes that trigger digestion and metabolism. This could also contribute to healthy bones as well as protecting cells from damage.
- Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin K as well.
Tasty
Rhubarb is one of my favorite types of pie so yes, I would say it is very tasty. The good and bad thing about Rhubarb is that the more sugar you add, the more you can offset the sour flavor making it more tasty to people who dislike sour. However, the more sugar you add, the less healthy it is. That is why many combined it with fruits and berries such as strawberries. There are many recipes you can find online for a variety of uses of Rhubarb. Here we are going to make a simple Rhubarb Pie. I will add a Strawberry option as well to help make it less tart.
Sweet Tart Rhubarb Pie
This is actually my own recipe for Rhubarb Pie. I do like the tart so you may want to add extra sugar or strawberries to offset the rhubarb flavor depending on your tart tolerance. Season to your taste. Rhubarb is a strong flavor so, the more strawberries, the sweeter. The more Rhubarb, the tarter.
What you need:
- Pie plate
Crust (1 9” Crust)
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 4 – 6 tablespoons ice water
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar for sprinkling on top
- 1 egg, well beaten
Filling
- ¾ – 1 ¼ cups white sugar (less sugar to taste if you use strawberries)
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chopped rhubarb (or 2 cups Rhubarb/2 cups Strawberries)
What you do:
- Preheat your oven to 450°. Lower the rack to the lowest level (this ensures that the bottom of the crust cooks completely)
- In a bowl, combine your dry ingredients for the crust.
- Cut in shortening until resembling small peas or crumbles. You can do this by pushing it through a fork or using your fingers.
- Start spooning in ice water and kneading until you have a dough. Avoid over-kneeding as this could make your crust tough rather than flakey. Work in as much flour as you can until it is no longer sticky but slightly elastic.
- Divide into two balls, ⅔ and ⅓ size.
- Roll out the bottom crust (⅔) and place in the pie plate. Cuts a couple of slits in the bottom crust to keep it from bubbling in the oven.
- Place all sliced rhubarb (and strawberries) into a large bowl with a tight sealing lid. Add the sugar and flour. Shake until well mixed.
- Pour the mixture into the pie plate.
- Roll out the top crust. There are two ways you can place the crust.
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- Cut it into strips and place back across the top in a woven pattern
- Or place on top as a whole piece and cut slits or designs (leaf patterns or some other pretty pattern) into the top.
- Once your pie is topped, brush with the egg and sprinkle the top with sugar.
- Bake in the 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° and continue to bake for 40 – 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cook until you are ready to serve. Allow to stand for at least 15 – 20 minutes. The longer it rests, the more the filling will set and be less runny.
Notes:
- You can store this pie covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Make sure you use 4 cups of fruit/veggies. Less Rhubarb will make it less tart. If you use only Rhubard, you will want more sugar. Strawberries are sweet/tart so use your best judgement. If you use the full sugar amount with 2 cups of strawberries, your pie will be quite sweet.
- Homemade Rhubarb Pie freezes very well. Make sure you seal it well to keep it from getting freezer-burnt.
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- You can also make and freeze the filling without cooking it. Freeze it in portioned baggies and when you want a pie, take it out, let it thaw for maybe 20 minutes or longer, pour it into the crust, and bake it.
Wrapping it Up
Photo byBrooke LarkonUnsplash
Yes, this is a favorite in my house. I keep 1 cup baggies of the mixture (no strawberries) in my freezer and use it for pie, crumbles, sauces for pork, and mixed into pancake mix. It also makes an amazing topping, when cooked with a couple teaspoons of water until down into syrup for ice cream, cake, or other meats.
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